The village is up in arms when Brian Quigley announces that he is going to bulldoze the wood at Killnashee for his development. Brendan, Siobhan and Michael decide to stage a sit in on the site which lasts overnight. Both Peter and Assumpta turn up with emergency rations for the protesters and, when Brendan, Michael and Siobhan go home to get a change of clothes, Peter and Assumpta are left to guard the bulldozers on their own. They sit in Peter's car to keep warm and, when Assumpta declares that they have nothing to say to each other, Peter disagrees. He asks if she is cold and takes her hand. To her amazement, he clings onto it and she sees for the first time, the pain and anguish he is fighting against. When the others return, she leaves but Peter follows her. He wants to try to explain but he can't find the words to explain how he feels about her. She goes before he says or does something he will regret. Peter cannot handle it on his own anymore and he asks the advice of Fr Mac who guesses what the problem is. He tells Peter he must go on retreat to get Assumpta out of his mind. Meanwhile Assumpta has decided she has to get away for a while so she asks Niamh to look after the pub. Niamh agrees but is horrified to discover that Assumpta plans to go to London. Peter tells Assumpta he is going away and that is the end of the matter. She is devastated and tells him she now knows she has made the right decision. Peter does not know what she means, but it is clear that she is about to do something drastic.